Today we rode west along the northern shore of Lake Michigan.

We said goodbye to the Straights of Mackinac and hello to Jack and Jim.  They had grown up together in Manistique – our day’s goal – and had just been back to visit as part of a “bucket list.”  They said the town of 10,000 in their youth was now a third the size.  Sounds like Manistique could use some immigration!

Most of our route had a wide smooth shoulder set off from the motor lanes by a rumble strip.  We felt pretty secure.

The yellow sign warns of sand on the road.  The sand is from ancient seas that once covered the area.  The dune below is between the road and the shore of Lake Michigan.  The lower photo shows how plants cover the dunes farther from the lake.

Jeffrey used netting to ward off swarming Mayflies that hit his face and got under his eyeglasses.

It seemed wise to stop for an early lunch given the rare services on this route. Wildwood Pasties in Brevort was the right place.  Owner Brenda (who does not want her photo published) taught Jeffrey about “pasties” (rhymes with “nasties” but they are anything but!) and made him a vegetable version with carrots, rutabagas, and cheese.  They talked about the importance of lawyers for asylum applicants, Brenda’s life and travels with her submariner husband (now retired), and entrepreneurship.  Brenda said she will follow the Ride.  Jeffrey bought some Mackinaw City taffy for the road.

The lakeshore is so beautiful, we stopped several times to admire the view.  We met Rob and Joseph, brothers from Key West, Florida.  They support Human Rights First’s mission.

So do Sheri, AJ, and Bryan.  (Brownie, the one not wearing clothes, did not say.)  When Jeffrey explained some of the flaws in America’s cobbled-together immigration tangle, Bryan compared it to nonsense he encountered in the military legal system, and AJ (who writes about the troubles of combat veterans) mentioned the special difficulties of people who “entered without inspection” – AJ knew the correct term!  Bryan said the problem is that lawmakers make laws that do not apply to themselves, which is another way of saying that lawmakers are not informed by experience . . . or are clueless.

Roberta, a retired operating room RN, and Jeffrey had a nice talk about nursing.  Roberta’s husband, David, kindly sprayed Jeffrey with insect repellent; this is a big spring for mosquitoes.  David saw the sign on our trike and said he hoped the human rights we support include those of the unborn.  Jeffrey explained that American law specifically protects people who flee to America to avoid forced abortions, but that before asylum can be granted, the applicant must make her case – which is very hard to do without a lawyer.  If we give it the resources, Human Rights First will provide that lawyer.

Dennis and Barb are from Holly, Michigan.  Dennis handed Jeffrey some cash for Human Rights Fiirst.

Some people took Jeffrey’s photo after he took theirs.

Samples of local color: a cow made from an oil tank, and a snowmobile museum.

At the hotel in Manistique, Jeffrey had a lively discussion with the clerks about human rights, cycling, philosophy and geography.  Ambitious Mandy is pursing a career in hotel management.  Academic Coby is off to Harvard in the fall.

Neither was aware that the U.S. often “detains” (jails) asylum applicants, and does not provide them with lawyers.  Now they know.